St. Patrick’s events from fests to Irish dance show near

As events begin to return after a year’s hiatus, a variety of St. Patrick’s Day festivities will kick off this weekend. Here are some highlights of different ways to join the fun.

McHenry

McHenry’s ShamRocks the Fox festival invites everyone to paint the town green March 13 and 14.

Dyeing of the Fox River and a portion of Boone Creek by Blarney Island begins at 11 a.m. March 13. The Pearl Street bridge will be closed to traffic for viewing of the Fox River, or you can watch the river dyeing from sidewalks along Miller Point and along the McHenry Riverwalk.

From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, there will be food and drink specials at McHenry area businesses. Attendees can buy alcohol from local bars and restaurants and leave the premises with their drinks in hand, if they stay in the designated downtown area.

People are asked to maintain social distancing and wear masks when not eating or drinking. If you don’t have a mask, you can find a festive St. Patrick’s Day mask from Black Orchid Boutique in downtown McHenry. For more information, go to www.visitmchenrycounty.com/shamrocksthefox.

St. Charles

For a second straight year, St. Charles will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day without a parade because of the pandemic.

The St. Patrick’s Celebration, hosted by the St. Charles Business Alliance, will take place March 13. Instead of the parade, the event will feature activities around downtown, including a photo op area open through March 17, roaming bagpipers from noon to 3 p.m., and a search for leprechauns at downtown St. Charles businesses as part of a treasure hunt.

“While there will be major changes in place, we have been working hard to keep the spirit of this community event alive so that we can keep the joy and benefits it brings to our businesses and community,” St. Charles Business Alliance Executive Director Jenna Sawicki said in a news release.

To learn more, visit stcstpatricksparade.com.

Batavia

The Irish sensation “Rhythm of the Dance” will be presented virtually by the Batavia Fine Arts Centre. It premieres at 7:30 p.m. March 12 and then will be available as video on demand until March 28. With pulsating rhythms, the production celebrates 2,000 years of dance, music, songs and culture from pre-Celtic times to modern-day sounds all within a two-hour concert. Full of flying feet and fiddles, futuristic dances, eye-catching lighting, costumes and sound effects, it is now one of the top three Irish step dance shows in the world, organizers stated.

The cost to view is $23.99. To register, go to bataviafineartscentre.org/rhythm-of-the-dance.

Yorkville

Some sense of normalcy will be back in downtown Yorkville for an early St. Patrick’s Day, with a full lineup of events including live music planned by the city.

This year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration will feature a 5K race at 9 a.m., a leprechaun hunt and an evening fireworks show. All events are scheduled for Saturday, March 13.

“It’s going to be exciting, and more details will come, but I think people are just looking for some activity,” Mayor John Purcell said.

The 5K race will begin at Southbank BBQ, 129 E. Hydraulic St. Meanwhile, the leprechaun hunt (follow @YorkvilleParksandRec for details), followed by a leprechaun meet-and-greet, is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Riverfront Park.

At noon, the Gleeson Irish Trio will perform at the Law Office, 226 S. Bridge St., followed by a fireworks show at 6:30 p.m. over Route 47 and Countryside Parkway. Downtown Yorkville bars and restaurants will host live music and will serve food and drink specials throughout the day.